Carriage return mechanism for



y 9, 1941. w. A. ANDERSON 2,251,096

CARRIAGE RETURN MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 25, 193'! 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ma, A

INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON ATTOR N EY July 29, 1941. w, ANDERSON 2,251,096

RIAGE RETURN MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June '25, 1937 lnmumu fl 1 BY i ATTORNEY July 29, 1941. w. A. ANDERSON CARRIAGE RETURN MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 25, 1937 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q n lm km I NVENTOR MLTER 14.14/YDERJON ATTORNEY July 29, 1941. w. A. ANDERSON CARRIAGE RETURN MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 25, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 E8 #5 z w a: 3 a 00m Gsow 56 i 2 i d: 3 a non inc Patented July 29, 1941 CARRIAGE RETURN MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Walter A. Anderson, Bridgeport, Conn, alsignor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 25, 1931, Serial No. 150,368

1 Claim.

This invention relates to accounting machines having a traveling paper carriage, and more parriage after the completion of its working stroke. The invention is disclosed on an accounting machine of the type shown and described in the application of Oscar J. Sundstrand, Serial No. 581,800, filed December 18, 1931, now Patent No. 2,194,270.

In machines of this character mechanism is provided for automatically returning the carriage by an electric motor. Mechanism is also provided to automatically engage and disengage the motor drive with the carriage at predetermined points in the carriage travel. In addition to this, there is provided separate mechanism for engaging and disengaging the motor with the carriage at points intermediate the regular points. This is for the purpose of obtaining the well-known shuttle or short return" movement of the carriage. The mechanism for engaging the motor for the short return movement may consist of a single engaging member, or for some types of work, may consist or two or more engaging members located at different lateral positions of the carriage so that when the operator depresses the short return key at different columns, the carriage will not have to tabulate a long distance before reaching the engaging means.

It is often found convenient to use the same machine for more than one type of accounting work, and in such cases it is usually necessary to employ work sheets of varying widths. This obviously makes it necessary to change the location of the mechanism for engaging and disengaging the carriage return mechanism. For instance, after the machine is used in connection with wide work sheets it is necessary to shift the engaging and disengaging mechanism considerable distances for use with narrow sheets. This usually ticularly to the mechanism for returning the carmakes it necessary to alter the location of all the engaging and disengaging members for both the normal return and for the short return. Now, when the machine is again used with the wide sheets, it is necessary for the operator to individually re-locate all the engaging and disengaging members in their former positions. This requires considerable time on the part of the operator.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved means whereby the members for engaging and disengaging the motor with the carriage may be readily and accurately adjusted for use in connection with sheets of varying widths.

With this and incidental objects in view. the

invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claim, and a preferred embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective of an accounting machine on which the present invention is illustrated,

Figure 2 is a back elevation thereof,

Figure 3 is an extended front perspective of the carriage return rack and parts of the mechanism for engaging and disengaging the motor with the carriage,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the parts in their assembled relation, and showing the connectiombetween these parts and the carriage return clutch;

Figure 5 is an end sectional view of the parts shown in Figure 3 and showing the connection between these parts and the paper carriage, and

Figures 6, '7 and 8 show the locations of the engaging and disengaging members when used in connection with different types of work sheets.

The accounting machine indicated generally at i (Figure 1) is provided with a laterally movable paper carriage 2, having a roller platen 3. In the operation of the machine the paper carriage travels from right to left in its working stroke and is returned from left to right by a motor 4 (Figure 2). I

The mechanism for connecting the motor with the carriage is shown in Figure 4 and includes a pinion 5 rotated constantly by the motor I through gearing disclosed in the above mentioned application. Pinion 5 is secured to a vertical shaft 8 having a pin I lying within a slot in a clutch collar 8 loosely mounted on shaft .6. By this construction, collar 8 is always rotated with shaft 5 but may be shifted vertically thereon. The upper end of collar 8 carries one or more teeth ll engageable with corresponding teeth l2 on the hub of a pinion l3 loosely mounted on shaft 8. A bell crank I having a long hub I5 is loosely mounted on a rod l6 secured in the machine frame. A finger ll extending from bell crank ll lies within a groove l8 in collar 8. By this construction, counter-clockwise rotation of bell crank it raises collar 8, engaging teeth ii and I2 and thereby rotating pinion l3, it being remembered that pinion 5 and collar 8 are constantly rotated. A spring-tensioned detent 2| is pivoted at 22 to retain bell crank I4 in its normal and moved positions. A rack 23 is secured to the carriage frame and meshes with pinion l3. Therefore, rotation of pinion l3 moves rack 23 to the right, returning the carriage to its right hand position from which it begins its working stroke. The means for rotating bell crank l4 counter-clockwise to engage the clutch includes an engaging block 24 secured on a rail 25 (Figure 3) supported on the carriage. After the carriage completes the last operation in its working stroke, it tabulates to the left an additional distance sufficient to cause block 24 to strike an arm 26 on bell crank l4 and rotate the bell crank counter-clockwise to engage the clutch. As the carriage reaches its right hand posiiton a lug 21 on a disengaging block 26 strikes arm 26 and rotates bell crank l4 clockwise to disengage the clutch.

Rail 25 is carried close to the under side of rack 23 by blocks 29 secured to the rack, rail 25 lying loosely within grooves in the blocks. A spring 33 secured to a stud on rack 23 and to a stud on rail 25 holds rail 25 at the left end of its possible movement in relation to rack 23. A stud 30a on rack 23 limits the relative movement between rack 23 and rail 25. This spring connection is provided to absorb the shock incident to the engaging block 24 striking arm 26, a explained in the above mentioned application.

If the operator wishes to have the carriage returned from one intermediate position to another intermediate position,.he depresses a short return key, which shifts bell crank H to the rear of the machine on rod l6. move arm 26 into the path of a lug 3| on a shuttle engaging block 32. It is therefore apparent that upon tabulation of the carriage, lug 3| will engage the clutch to return the carriage before the latter completes its regular working stroke. Bell crank 14 is held in its rear position by detent 2 I, as explained in the above mentioned application, long enough for a flange 33 on a shuttle disengaging block 34 to strike it and rotate bell crank l4 clockwise to disengage the clutch before the carriage has completed its normal return stroke. As indicated in Figures 3 and 4, more than one shuttle engaging block 32 may be provided to make it unnecessary for the carriage to travel any considerable distance after the short return key is depressed and before it starts its return movement.

The blocks 24, 28, 32 and 34 are suspended on rail 25, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 5, by having their upper portions channeled to receive the rail. Blocks 28, 32 and 34 have their top surfaces slotted to accommodate a bracket 35, the latter having cut-out portions 36 to accommodate the blocks. By use of bracket 35, movement of b ock 28 along rail 25 results in a corresponding movement of blocks 32 and 34. The assembly is held in adjusted position by a spring pressed plunger 31 (Figure extending into block 28 from the rear and terminating with an upwardly extending projection 38. A spring 4| presses the plunger rearwardly and holds projection 38 between adjacent teeth on the front edge of rail 25.

A plunger similar to 31 retains block 24 in its adjusted position laterally on the rail.

A slot 42 is provided in bracket 35 embracing a stud 43 on rail 25 to limit the possible lateral movement of bracket 35. Similarly, block 24 is provided with a bracket 44 having a slot 45 embracing a headed stud 46 (Figure 6) extending downwardly from rail 25 to limit the possible lateral movement of block 24.

This shift is sufllcient to By this construction, when the operator desires to shift the engaging and disengaging blocks to accommodate different types of accounting forms. it is necessary only to press one or both of the plungers 31, accordin to the type of work sheet to be used, and to slide the associated blocks along rail 25 until the movement is stopped by the ends of slots 42 and 45 in brackets reaching studs 43 and 43.

Operation Referring to Figures 6 to 8, three types of work are illustrated, all of which may be accomplished on one accounting machine. Figure 6 illustrates an operation requiring printing of a balance in two columns that are relatively close to each other on the work sheet.- This makw it desirable.

to have the engaging and disengaging blocks relatively close together and at the right side of the carriage. To set the blocks for this type of work it is only necessary for the operator to press the two plungers 31 and move the blocks as far to the right as studs 43 and 46 permit.

After the balance is entered on all the sheets and it is desired to enter the additional data illustrated in Figure 7, blocks 28, 32 and 34 must be moved to their extreme left position. It is then necessary only to press plunger 31 in block 28 and move it to its extreme left hand position.

If it is desired next to print entries such as illustrated in Figure 8, where the sheet is relatively narrow and must be located on the left side of the carriage so as to be in the proper location on the proof sheet, blocks 28, 32 and 34 remain in their extreme left position but block 24 must be moved to its extreme left position. This is done as explained before by pressing plunger 31 and sliding the block to the left until stud 46 arrests the movement.

From the above it is apparent that provision of the laterally adjustable blocks, together with brackets 35 and 44 and the studs and slots 42, 43, 45 and 43, greatly facilitates adjustment of the carriage return mechanism for use with different types of accounting, and that the provision of a single member for adjusting the shuttle engaging and disengaging blocks 32 and 34 simultaneously with and through the adjustment of block 28 makes it unnecessary to individually adjust each of the blocks 32 and 34 after block 28 is adjusted to its new location.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the claim which follows.

What is claimed is:

In a machine of the class described having a traveling paper carriage, means including a source of power to return the carriage at the end of its working stroke, means to couple the source of power with the carriage, and a toothed rail on the carriage, the combination of devices on the rail to operate the coupling means, a detent on one of the devices, the devices being adjustable along the rail and being held in their adjusted positions by the detent engaging the teeth on the rail, and a connecting strip slidably mounted on the rail and embracing said devices, to insure uniform and simultaneous movement of the devices.

WALTER A. ANDERSON. 

